Asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic-substituted olefins using organonickel catalyst

ABSTRACT

A process for the asymmetric reduction of carboxylic acids of the formula   &lt;IMAGE&gt;   or the amine salts thereof, where R and R1 are the same or different and are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or haloalkyl and Ar is aryl or substituted aryl is disclosed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a process for the catalytic reduction of aromatic-substituted olefins. More specifically, this invention relates to a process for asymmetrically, catalytically reducing aromatic-substituted olefins using a mixture of an organonickel compound and an optically active organophosphorous compound.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Enantioselective catalysis using chiral metal complexes provides one of the most general and flexible methods for achieving asymmetric organic reactions. Metallic elements possess a variety of catalytic activities, and permutations of organic ligands or other auxiliary groups directing the steric course of the reaction are practically unlimited. Efficient ligands must be endowed with, for example, suitable functionality, appropriate chirality, a structure capable of differentiating space either electronically or sterically and skeletal rigidity or flexibility.

Among the asymmetric organic reactions catalyzed by chiral transition metal complexes, asymmetric hydrogenation has been one of the best studied, due in large part to the fact that it is the basis for the first commercialized catalytic asymmetric process. See, for example, ApSimon, et al., Tetrahedron, 1986, 42, 5157.

Some of the more interesting of the asymmetric hydrogenation catalysts are those derived from BINAP [2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl]. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,691,037; 4,739,084; 4,739,085; 4,764,629; 4,994,607; and 4,766,227. Unlike the more classical models of chiral (asymmetric) molecules, chirality in the case of the BINAP compounds arises from the restricted rotation about the single bond joining the naphthalene rings. Isomers arising from this type of asymmetry are termed atropisomers.

BINAP-based Ru(II) and Rh(I) complexes induce high enantioselectivity in catalytic reactions. See Noyori and Takaya, Acc. Chem. Res., 1990, 23, 345.

The BINAP ruthenium complexes are dramatically different than the rhodium ones. They have been used to catalyze a variety of asymmetric hydrogenations, including the hydrogenation of enamides and alkyl and aryl-substituted acrylic acids. See Noyori, et al., Modern Synthetic Methods, 1989, 5, 115, incorporated herein by reference. Unlike the rhodium catalyzed reductions, ruthenium(II) carboxylate complexes possessing the BINAP ligand are efficient catalysts for the enantioselective hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids. According to Ohta, et al, J. Org. Chem, 52, 3174 (1982), the carboxyl moiety of the substrate, and not other oxygen containing groups, is responsible for the stereoselective reaction. Asymmetric reductions of noncarboxyl-containing substrates by ruthenium complexes are inefficient.

While the chiral phosphine complexes of rhodium and ruthenium are well known to catalyze asymmetric reactions, nickel has not been established as a metal capable of forming complexes that promote such enantioselective transformations. The general availability and lower cost of nickel relative to rhodium and ruthenium provide an obvious commercial advantage for nickel complexes that show reasonable activity as catalysts for asymmetric syntheses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves a novel method for the use of organonickel compounds which, when admixed in an appropriate solvent with ligands having optical activity, can be used as in situ catalyst to effect the asymmetric reduction of certain unsaturated organic compounds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the present specification, alkyl means straight or branched chain alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and includes, for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl, tertiary butyl, pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl, nonyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, octadecyl, and eicosyl.

Cycloalkyl means cyclic alkyl having 3 to 7 carbon atoms and includes cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and cycloheptyl.

Substituted aryl means phenyl or naphthyl substituted by at least on substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen (chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine), amino, nitro, hydroxy, alkyl, alkoxy, which means straight or branched chain alkoxy having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and includes, for example, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, isopropoxy, butoxy, isobutoxy, secondary butoxy, tertiary butoxy, pentyloxy, isopentyloxy, hexyloxy, heptyloxy, octyloxy, nonyloxy and decyloxy, haloalkyl which means straight or alkyl having 1 to 8 carbon atoms which is substituted by at least one halogen, and includes, for example, chloromethyl, bromomethyl, fluoromethyl, iodomethyl, 2-chloroethyl, 2-bromoethyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 3-chloropropyl, 3-bromopropyl, 3-fluoropropyl, 4-chlorobutyl, 4-fluorobutyl, dichloromethyl, dibromomethyl, difluoromethyl, diiodomethyl, 2,2-dichloroethyl, 2,2-dibromoethyl, 2,2-difluoroethyl, 3,3-dichloropropyl, 3,3-difluoropropyl, 4,4-dichlorobutyl, 4,4-difluorobutyl, trichloromethyl, trifluoromethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, 2,3,3-trifluoropropyl, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl and 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl.

Haloalkyl means straight or branched chain alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms which is substituted by at least one halogen as mentioned above.

Phenylalkyl means that the alkyl moiety is straight or branched chain alkyl having 1 to 8 carbon atoms and includes, for example, benzyl, 2-phenylethyl, 1-phenylethyl, 3-phenylpropyl, 4-phenylbutyl, 5-phenylpentyl, 6-phenylhexyl and 8-phenyloctyl.

Substituted phenylalkyl means above-mentioned phenylalkyl which is substituted by at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, amino, nitro, hydroxy, alkyl, alkoxy and haloalkyl on the phenyl nucleus.

Chiral phosphine compound means an optically active alkyl or aryl substituted trivalent phosphorous compound. Examples of such compounds are:

1,2-ethanediyl-bis(o-methoxyphenyl)phenylphosphine (DIPAMP);

N,N'-bis(α-methylbenzyl)-N,N'-bis(diphenylphosphine) ethylenediamine (PNNP);

2,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (CHIRAPHOS);

1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (PROPHOS);

2,3-O-isopropylidene-2,3-dihydroxy-1, 4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (DIOP);

2,4-t-butyl 4-(diphenylphosphino)-2-(diphenylphosphinomethyl)-1-pyrrolidine-carboxylate (BPPM);

2,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)pentane (SKEWPHOS);

2,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)hexane (BDPH);

1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1-phenylethane (PHENPHOS);

1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1-cyclohexylethane (CYCPHOS);

α-[1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenyl]-ethyldimethylamine (BPPFA); and

trans-4,5-bis[(5H-dibenzophospholyl)methyl]-2, 2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane (DIPHOL).

A detailed description of suitable phosphines for the present invention is disclosed in "Asymmetric Synthesis", Vol. 5, Ed. by James D. Morrison, Academic Press, Orlando (1985), incorporated herein by reference.

The enantioselective preparations of the present invention are carried out optionally using amine salts of α-aryl olefinic carboxylic acids. When amine salts are used, they are derived from a wide variety of primary, secondary or tertiary hydrocarbyl amines. They include the aromatic amines, aliphatic amines, mixed aromatic/aliphatic amines, as well as heterocyclic and cycloaliphatic amines. Such hydrocarbyl amino compounds are illustrated by methylbenzylamine, ethyldiisopropylamine, N-methylpiperidine, triethylamine, pyrrole, etc. They react readily with the carboxylic acid function of the α-aryl olefinic carboxylic acid to produce amine salts, usually by preparing a solution of equimolar amounts of the two reactants. The resulting amine salts, generated in situ or preformed, are used in the subsequent step of the process of this invention.

The carboxylic acids have the formula ##STR2## where R and R₁ are the same or different and are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, or haloalkyl and Ar is aryl or substituted aryl. Preferably R and R₁ are the same or different and are hydrogen or alkyl. The amine salts are also useful in the process of the present invention. Most preferred in the above carboxylic acid is where R and R₁ are the same and are hydrogen or methyl. They are reduced (hydrogenated) asymmetrically by a catalytic process employing a mixture of (i) a nickel compound and (ii) an optically active ligand in an appropriate solvent where the ligand is ##STR3## where R' is hydrogen (BINAP), alkyl, haloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl. It is neither necessary nor economically desirable to isolate the chiral metal catalyst that may be formed in this mixture prior to hydrogenation of the substrate.

Nickel-containing compounds of use in this invention may be any of a wide variety of forms of this element and include, for example, nickel(II) bromide or nickel(II) chloride, nickel acetate, and mixed halide-chelate complexes such as (cycloocta-1,5-diene)nickel(II) chloride, i.e., the chelate complex salts, or (cycloocta-1,5-diene)nickel(II) (2,4-pentanedionate) or nickel(II) (2,4-pentanedionate) or bis(cycloocta-1,5-diene)nickel(O). The hydrated forms of these compounds are also useful in the process of this invention.

The preferred nickel compounds of use in the process of the present invention are the chelate complexes of the formula ##STR4## where R₂ and R₃ are the same or different and are alkyl, aryl, haloalkyl, phenylalkyl or substituted phenylalkyl. The hydrated species (e.g., the dihydrates) of the above chelate complex can also be used.

In the preferred nickel compound, it is most preferred that R₂ and R₃ are the same and are alkyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms having a linear or branched chain. Particularly preferred are where R₂ and R₃ are the same and are linear or branched C₁ to C₆ alkyl group. Illustrative alkyl groups most preferably employed as R₂ and R₃ are methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl, tertiary butyl, pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, trifluoromethyl and the like.

The chiral organophosphorous compound admixed with the nickel compound is preferably one where all R' are the same and are hydrogen or C₁ to C₆ linear or branched alkyl. Most preferably all R' are the same and are hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl or isopropyl.

The asymmetric catalytic hydrogenations utilizing the catalyst mixture of (i) and (ii) above is mixed with a solution of an α-aryl olefinic carboxylic acid or its amine salt, typically in a molar ratio of (i):(ii) of 10:1 to 1:10, preferably 8:1 to 1:8, most preferably 1:1.

The molar ratio of (i) to the olefinic acid or its amine salt is between about 1 to 20 to about 1 to 20,000, preferably about 1 to 100 to about 1 to 10,000, most preferably about 1 to 5,000 to about 1 to 10,000.

The combination of the catalyst mixture, the olefinic carboxylic acid (or amine salt of such acid) and suitable organic solvent, provide a system suitable for hydrogenation at elevated hydrogen pressure, i.e., pressures above about 75 psig.

To achieve enantioselective hydrogenation of a free α-olefinic carboxylic acid, a mixture of (i) and (ii) in the hydrogenation solvent must be given time (typically 1 to 5 hours) to become activated, either with or without hydrogen pressure at room temperature or at elevated temperature, before the substrate is introduced.

The chemical reactions described above are generally disclosed in terms of their broadest application to the preparation of the compounds of this invention. Occasionally, the reactions may not be applicable as described to each compound included within the disclosed scope. The compounds for which this occurs will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art. In all such cases, either the reactions can be successfull performed by conventional modifications known to those skilled in the art, e.g., by appropriate protection of interfering groups, by changing to alternative conventional reagents, by routine modification of reaction conditions, and the like, or other reactions disclosed herein or otherwise conventional, will be applicable to the preparation of the corresponding compounds of this invention. In all preparative methods, all starting materials are known or readily prepared from known starting materials.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The following preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever.

EXAMPLES General

All solvents used in the hydrogenation were reagent grade and were sparged with nitrogen for at least 2 hours to remove oxygen. The S-BINAP, nickel(II) pentanedionate ("acac"), nickel(II) acetate and nickel(II) chloride used were commercially available materials. Conversions were determined by GC (area %). Optical purities were determined by HPLC using a chiral column. The hydrogenation reactors used were constructed of Monel 400 or T316 Stainless Steel.

EXAMPLE 1

To a 100-ml Monel pressure reactor in a nitrogen-filled glove box was added 14 mg (0.048 mmol) nickel(II) (2,4-pentanedionate) dihydrate [Ni(acac)₂ ·2H₂ O], 42 mg (0.067 mmol) S-BINAP and 30 ml of methanol. The reactor was flushed with hydrogen (3×300 psi) and stirred (300 rpm) for 4 hours at 22°-24° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen. The reactor was vented, and a solution of 266 mg (1.30 mmol) of 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)acrylic acid (UA) in 10 ml of methanol was added to the reactor in a nitrogen purged glove box. The reactor was flushed with hydrogen (3×300 psi) and stirred (300 rpm) at 24° C. for 17 hours with 1000 psi hydrogen. GC showed that no ibuprofen had formed. The temperature was raised to 60° C. and the mixture was stirred for 50 hours with 1000 psi hydrogen. The conversion of UA to ibuprofen was 89% and the optical purity was 70% (S).

EXAMPLE 2

To the 100-ml Monel pressure reactor in a nitrogen purged glove box was added 17 mg (0.058 mmol) Ni(acac)₂ ·2H₂ O, 39 mg (0.063 mmol) S-BINAP, 477 mg (1.47 mmol) UA·S-MBA (S-α-methylbenzylamine salt of UA) and 40 ml of methanol. The reactor was purged with hydrogen, and stirred 17 hours at 24° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen. The reaction mixture was sampled and GC showed 0% conversion. The mixture was stirred at 61° C. for 22 hours with 1000 psi hydrogen after which G showed 13% conversion. The reaction mixture was then stirred for 19 hours at 100° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen. The product was a mixture of 34% ibuprofen (S)MBA salt, 6% methyl 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)acrylate (UME) and 60% UA SMBA. The optical purity of the ibuprofen salt was 41% (S).

EXAMPLE 3

To the 100-ml Monel pressure reactor in a nitrogenfilled glove box was added 16 mg (0.067 mmol) NiCl₂ ·6H₂ O, 42 mg (0.068 mmol) S-BINAP and 30 ml of methanol. The reactor was purged with hydrogen (3×300 psi), and stirred at 24° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen for 20 hours. The reactor was vented, and a solution of 473 mg (2.32 mmol) UA in 10 ml of methanol was added in a nitrogen purged glove box. The reactor was purged with hydrogen (3×300 psi) and stirred at 24° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen for 18 hours. The reaction mixture was sampled and GC showed 3% conversion of UA to ibuprofen. The reactor was stirred 70 hours at 60° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen. The product was a mixture of 9% ibuprofen, 9% methyl 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionate (PME), 5% UME and 77% UA. The optical purity of the ibuprofen was 90% (S) and that of the PME was 10% (S).

EXAMPLE 4

To a 100-ml Monel pressure reactor in a nitrogen-filled glove box was added 15 mg (0.051 mmol) Ni(acac)₂ ·2H₂ O, 43 mg (0.069 mmol) S-BINAP and 30 ml of methanol. The reactor was purged with hydrogen (3×300 psi) and then stirred (300 rpm) at 23° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen for 4 hours. The reactor was vented, and a solution of 269 mg (1.32 mmol) UA in 10 ml of methanol was added to the reactor in a nitrogen-filled glove box. The reactor was purged with hydrogen and stirred (300 rpm) for 59 hours at 60° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen. GC analysis showed 19% conversion of UA to ibuprofen with an optical purity of 92% (S).

EXAMPLE 5

A 13 mg (0.051 mmol) portion of anhydrous Ni(acac)₂, 42 mg (0.067 mmol) of S-BINAP and 30 ml of methanol were combined in a 100-ml stainless steel pressure reactor in a nitrogen-filled glove box. The reactor was purged with hydrogen and stirred with 1000 psi hydrogen at 21° C. for 39 hours and then at 61° C. for 3 hours. After the reactor was cooled and vented, a 278 mg (1.36 mmol) portion of UA in 10 ml of methanol was added to the vessel in a nitrogen-filled glove box. The reactor was flushed with hydrogen and stirred (300 rpm) at 59° C. under 1000 psi hydrogen. After 4 hours, a GC showed 22% conversion to ibuprofen and HPLC indicated an optical purity of 73% (S). After 42 hours, GC showed 93% conversion to ibuprofen with an 8% (S) optical purity by HPLC.

EXAMPLE 6

Example 5 was repeated using 13 mg (0.051 mmol) of anhydrous Ni(acac)₂, 51 mg (0.082 mmol) of S-BINAP, 294 mg (1.44 mmol) of UA and 40 ml of dry methanol (dried over 3A molecular sieves, filtered and nitrogen sparged). After 20 hours at 60° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen, GC showed a conversion to ibuprofen of 48% and HPLC indicated an optical purity of 48% (S). After 44 hours at 60° C. with 1000 psi hydrogen, GC showed 82% conversion of UA to ibuprofen with an optical purity of 21% (S).

EXAMPLE 7

A 14 mg (0.056 mmol) portion of nickel(II) acetate tetrahydrate, 46 mg (0.074 mmol) of S-BINAP, 262 mg (1.28 mmol) of UA, and 40 ml of methanol were combined in a 100-ml stainless steel pressure reactor in a nitrogen-filled glove box. The reactor was flushed (3×300 psi H₂) and stirred (300 rpm) with 1000 psi H₂ for 17.5 hours at 22° C. GC analysis indicated the UA was unchanged. The temperature was increased to 63° C., and after 6 hours, the conversion of UA to ibuprofen was found to be only 6% by GC. The temperature was raised to 100° C., and after 25 hours, the conversion was 87%. HPLC indicated an ibuprofen optical purity of 19% (S).

                                      TABLE                                        __________________________________________________________________________     IN SITU HYDROGENATION RESULTS                                                  (900-1000 psi H.sub.2 IN METHANOL)                                                                         PHOSPHINE                                                                               H.sub.2 RUN TEMP/TIME                                                                       CONVERSION                   EXAMPLE                                                                               SUBSTRATE                                                                               METAL COMPLEX                                                                              COMPOUND (°C./hr)                                                                             (GC AREA                                                                                 %                  __________________________________________________________________________                                                                 ee                 1      UA       Ni(acac).sub.2.2H.sub.2 O                                                                  S-BINAP  24/17         0                                                                 60/5.5      44                                                                60/30        83                                                                60/50        89        70(S)              2      UA.S-MBA Ni(acac).sub.2.2H.sub.2 O                                                                  S-BINAP  24/66         0                                                                61/22        13                                                                100/19       40        41(S)              3      UA       NiCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O                                                                      S-BINAP  24/18         0                                                                 60/5.5       3                                                                60/70        24        90(S)              4      UA       Ni(acac).sub.2.2H.sub.2 O                                                                  S-BINAP  60/59        19        92(S)              5      UA       Ni(acac).sub.2 anhydrous                                                                   S-BINAP  61/4         22        73(S)                                                   61/42        93         8(S)              6      UA       Ni(acac).sub.2 anhydrous                                                                   S-BINAP  60/20        48        48(S)                                                   60/44        82        21(S)              7      UA       Ni(OAc).sub.2.4H.sub.2 O                                                                   S-BINAP  63/6          6                                                                100/25       88        19(S)              __________________________________________________________________________      ee = enantiomeric excess (optical purity)                                      acac = 2,4pentanedionate                                                       MBA = methylbenzylamine                                                        UA = 2(4-isobutylphenyl)acrylic acid                                           UME = methyl 2(4-isobutylphenyl)acrylate                                       PME = methyl 2(4-isobutylphenyl)propionate                                

We claim:
 1. A process for preparing optically active α-aryl aliphatic carboxylic acids which comprises catalytically, asymmetrically hydrogenating a carboxylic acid of the formula ##STR5## or the amine salt thereof, where R and R₁ are the same or different and are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, or haloalkyl; and Ar is aryl or substituted aryl; by utilizing a catalytically effective amount of a nickel-containing material of the formula ##STR6## or the hydrate thereof, where R₂ and R₃ are the same or different and are alkyl, haloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, phenylalkyl or substituted phenylalkyl and a chiral phosphene compound.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein R and R₁ are the same or different and are hydrogen or alkyl.
 3. The process according to claim 2, wherein R and R₁ are hydrogen.
 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein Ar is phenyl or naphthyl substituted with alkyl or alkoxy.
 5. The process according to claim 4, wherein Ar is phenyl substituted with methyl, ethyl, n-propyl or isobutyl.
 6. The process according to claim 1, wherein R₂ and R₃ are the same and ar alkyl.
 7. The process according to claim 6, wherein R₂ and R₃ are methyl.
 8. A catalyst composition comprising a nickel hydrated compound represented by the formula ##STR7## where R₂ and R₃ are the same and are methyl and an optically active ligand having the formula ##STR8## where R' is hydrogen (BINAP), alkyl, haloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl.
 9. The composition according to claim 8 wherein R₂ and R₃ are methyl.
 10. The composition according to claim 9 wherein R' is hydrogen.
 11. A process for preparing S-ibuprofen which comprises catalytically, asymmetrically hydrogenating 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)acrylic acid by utilizing a mixture of ##STR9## or the hydrate thereof, and an optically active BINAP, where R₂ and R₃ are the same or different and are alkyl and BINAP is ##STR10##
 12. The process according to claim 11 wherein said nickel compound is ##STR11## or the hydrates thereof, where R₂ and R₃ are the same or different and are alkyl, phenylalkyl or substituted phenylalkyl. 